Black bear takes stroll near Altona, St. Joseph Wednesday morning

A couple of keen eyed area residents spotted a black bear taking what appeared to be a fairly leisurely stroll Wednesday morning.

PembinaValleyOnline was first alerted to the visitor by Esther Heppner who lives about two and half miles northeast of Altona along Provincial Road 201. She called us around 8:45 a.m. indicating the bear was spotted by her husband just west of their yard on the south side of the highway. This was the first time they had seen the bear this Spring.

Esther Heppner's husband captured the black bear with his cell phone camera as it headed east.

Meanwhile, about ninety minutes later, it's believed the same bear was seen west of St. Joseph, and was captured on camera and in video by Ron Voth (video below).